It's A Good Thing He Got Frozen In That Ice
by Writing Fangirl for hire
Summary: The world thinks Tony Stark and Steven Rodgers are gay for each other. Steve says that's not true. Tony cracks jokes. But after Steve had to put a drunk Tony to bed, neither of them are sure that the world isn't right. The only thing is, will they ever admit it to themselves and let themselves love each other?
1. Chapter 1

Steve looked over at his companion. Tony had been silent the whole limo ride; and for those of you who don't know Tony, silence isn't his strong suit. Actually, Tony's strong suit was armor made from a titanium alloy that enhanced... well Steve wasn't quite sure what all it enhanced. It would probably quicker to list what it didn't enhance. One thing on that list was Tony's humility. If the armor enhanced Tony's humility then maybe he wouldn't be sitting beside Steve, pouting.

Steve would go as far as to say that Tony was seething, if it wasn't for the occasional glances his way. Tony kept looking back at him to see if he was showing any signs of being affected by his pouting. Steve knew this and consequently chose to be annoyingly cheerful.

After listening to Steve point out at least 10 different flower arrangements outside, Tony was close to slapping the Captain. Thank God they were almost to the Gala.

Steve had been thrilled when he received his invitation to the Gala. Tony didn't receive an invitation, but Steve's allowed him to bring a plus one.

Tony had been the fourth avenger that the good ol' Captain had asked to come with him. The fifth, and last, person that Captain asked over all.

Steve had asked Natasha right off the bat. But her excuse was some mission she was running that evening. So Steve asked Bruce. Bruce doesn't like big ceremonies for anything, even when there's food. Next Steve asked Pepper Pots. Pepper had smiled compassionately at him and told him that she had to be in D.C that day, and she suggested he ask Tony. But instead of asking Tony next, he asked Clint. Now Tony knew that if Steve had asked Clint, he really didn't want to go with Tony. Clint declined for a reason Tony didn't know. But when Cap came to ask him, Steve's face was all red and he was stumbling over his words. Tony said yes, he was happy to go. And he was happy. Until he found out how many people Steve had asked before him. After that he threw a bitch fit and Steve had to literally drag him out the door to the limo.

Steve didn't have to drag him out of the limo. Tony loved parties, and loved being the center of attention at them. Steve didn't like the attention quite so much. Especially when the press started asking him questions on his relationship with Tony.

Tony, who had previously been talking to a hot busty blonde reporter, overheard some of the questions.

"What's this?" He asked Steve, who rolled his eyes although his face was flushed.

"Some stupid idea that they have that we're a couple. I'm getting so many questions about it that I wonder how it came about," Steve answered.

"This is the first time I've heard of it," Tony commented absentmindedly.

"They started just this past week, most of that time you've been in the lab," Steve said before smiling for a camera.

"Mr. Rodgers! Would you like to comment on the claims of you and Mr. Stark's romance?" One report asked, shoving a microphone in Steve's face.

"Yes actually. I would like to say that as far as I am aware, and one would think that I would be aware of this, there is no romance between Tony and I. We're just good friends. And besides that, even on the almost impossible chance that there was something to that rumor, it's none of the press's business. That's all I am going to say on the matter," Steve said, pulling out a bit of the Captain voice on the reporter. The reporter seemed to be surprised at the edge in Steve's voice. After taking a few steps away from the reporters, Steve grabbed Tony's arm, hard, "Let's go inside," he hissed into Tony's ear. Then Steve released Tony, smiled and waved at the camera's and strode inside. Tony stared at the Captains retreating figure (and, although he would never admit it, the Captain's ass) before smiling at the press, cracking a joke, and heading into the Gala himself.

* * *

The rest of the Gala went well, Steve actually seemed to enjoy himself. And of course he ended up dragging a very drunk Tony out of the Gala, right into the camera flashes.

"Don't these people ever go home?" Steve mumbled to himself as he shoved Tony unceremoniously into the limo.

Tony fell asleep on him on the ride back to Avenger's Tower. Not just leaning on him either. As soon as Steve got the door closed, and sat down, Tony was on him. At first Tony had leaned against him. Then he kept falling out of his seat. He did this so many times that Steve finally just sat him on his lap. Then Tony leaned his head on Steve's chest as Steve kept him from falling down. Suddenly Tony was asleep.

When they got to the Tower, Steve held Tony against him and carried Tony into the tower. Tony had woken up slightly when Steve started carrying him, so one time when Steve adjusted his grip Tony threw his arms around Steve's neck to keep from falling.

That's how they walk into the living room of the tower, Steve carrying Tony, Tony's head against Steve's chest, Tony's arms around Steve's neck. When Steve saw Clint and Bruce he froze. The two of them were laying on the couch, legs intertwined, fingertips touching. Clint was watching a movie, Bruce was reading. Clint looked up at Cap and Tony and smirked.

"If that isn't the gayest thing then I don't know what is," Clint commented. Bruce looked up at the two and smiled. Steve's cheeks colored slightly before he shot back with,

"You're so the one to talk Clint. Because that position you're in with Bruce is as straight as one of your arrows right?" Bruce and Clint both looked at their intertwined legs and blushed, before slowly extracting themselves.

"Point taken," Bruce said quietly. Steve rolled his eyes and carried Tony to his room.

It was dark in Tony's room, the only light coming from the window, but Steve didn't turn on the light. It would be easier to get extract himself from Tony's vice like grip if the light wasn't on; because if it was then Tony would probably re-bury his face in Steve's chest to escape the light.

He would know, it's happened before.

Steve walked over to Tony's bed. He carefully leaned over and set Tony down. Then he reached down and took off Tony's shoes. He didn't want to risk Tony not wearing any undershorts, so he left Tony's pants on. Instead he took of the belt and started unbuttoning Tony's shirt.

"Are you undressing me Cap?" Tony mumbled. Without looking at his face Steve could tell that Tony was wearing a tired smirk.

"You're to drunk to do it yourself, besides that you shouldn't sleep in a suit," Steve said sensibly.

"Mm but you didn't take off my pants."

"Are you wearing undershorts?"

"Undershorts? I don't wear undershorts I wear boxers. I don't remember whether I am or not."

"Then no. I'm not taking off your pants. If you want them off then you can get off your drunk butt and take them off." Steve untied Tony's tie. Reaching one hand down, he slid his hand under Tony's shirt, and moved it to his back. He lifted Tony up with one hand, and used the other one to wrestle the shirt off of the uncooperative Tony.

"Your hands are strong," Tony mumbled again. Steve ignored him and pulled the blanket over Tony.

"Good night Tony."

"Steve," Tony said, grabbing his hand. Steve turned his head to look at him.

"Yes Tony?"

"Stay." Steve shook his head, not wanting to have heard those words. Tony thought he was saying no and leapt out of bed, stumbling a bit. Steve turned around and steadied him. Tony leaned his face closer, "Stay," he whispered. His breath smelled like champagne.

"Tony, I can't. You need to rest. Besides, it's not right," Steve said quietly. Tony frowned, his eyebrows drawing together.

"Please Steve. Please stay," he said. Tony leaned forewords, his lips colliding with Steve's jaw. Steve let out a quick moan at the touch, "Do you like that?" Tony mumbled against the underneath side of Steve's jaw. Tony brought his hands up and grabbed the back of Steve's neck. Pulling his head down Tony moved his kisses closer to Steve's ear.

Despite all of Steve's will power he let out another pleased moan.

"Tony..." Steve started to say. But before he could get anything else out, Tony's mouth collided with his. Steve tried weakly to push him away, very weakly. Instead Tony clung tighter to Steve.

Finally Steve managed to pull away from Tony.

"Tony, I can't. Not when you are drunk."

"So you might if I wasn't drunk?"

"No. Because you wouldn't be doing this if you weren't drunk. Go to bed," Steve finally extracted himself from Tony's grasp and hurried to the door, "Go to bed. In the morning you won't remember any of this."

* * *

Steve was wrong. Morning came, Tony had a pounding headache, a bad hangover, and he remembered every detail of the previous night. When he had gotten up at 11:30, Steve was gone. None of the present Avengers knew the Captain's whereabouts. But when Bruce said that Steve had left at an unholy hour, like 4 o'clock in the morning unholy, Tony couldn't help but feel that he was the reason why.

So Tony went down to the lab and tinkered for the next 24 hours, playing over in his mind what had happened between him and his Captain. The longer time went the more confused he got.

Several of the others had tried to come talk to him or get him to eat, but he either locked them out or sent them away. The only one he would talk to was Nat.

"Is Cap back yet?" he had asked her last time she came down to check on him.

"No, no one's seen or heard from him since Bruce saw him leave yesterday morning," She had answered. Tony didn't reply so she left.

"It's all my fault," Tony said when she came back several hours.

"What is?"

"Steve leaving. It's all my fault. I must have upset him." Nat hoisted herself up and sat on his bench, waiting for the story.

"The other night, you know the night of the Gala, I got really drunk. Not that that would surprise you or anything. But apparently there have been some... rumors about Steve and I as of late. Well I found out about it at the Gala, Steve actually seemed genuinely upset about these rumors but, you know me, I didn't really care. Well I got really drunk and he had to drag me to the limo. Well I think I fell asleep in the limo because I don't remember the limo ride. But when we got back to the tower, I remember Steve picking me up and carrying me. I remember how warm he was, and how well muscled his chest was..."

"Stay on track Tony."

"Right, well I remember hearing him talking to someone in the living room, an then him taking me to my room. He put me on my bed and took off my shoes. Then I felt him undo my belt, which was what really woke me up the most. He started unbuttoning my shirt and I made a comment about him undressing me. Then we had a conversation about undershorts or boxers or whatever. But I remember feeling his strong, warm hand on my cold skin as he lifted me up to take off my shirt. And I remember the electricity I felt at his touch. I wanted more of that feeling. So when he started to leave I asked him to stay. He got a strange look on his face and kinda shook his head. I remember feeling hurt, and getting out of bed. A few words were exchanged and suddenly I was kissing his jaw. And I'm telling you Nat, he moaned. Not a "Oh no not this," moan. But a "Ooh that feels good moan,". So I pulled him closer and kissed near his ear. His hands were on my hips, his fingertips touched my ass. He moaned again. He opened his mouth to say something but I... I kissed him instead." Tony put his head in his hands. Nat was looking _too_ interested in this, "But this is where it gets confusing. He kisses me back a little bit, and then he pulls away really quickly. He said, 'No Tony, I can't. Not when you're drunk.' So now my only question is, 'what the hell is that supposed to mean?' Not when I'm drunk? So I asked him if he would do it when I wasn't drunk. He gave me a really sad look and told me that he wouldn't because I would never do that when I wasn't drunk. And then he left."

"It doesn't sound like your fault to me. It sounds like one of those soaps that Thor likes to watch," Nat said. Tony looked up at her, groaned, and rested his head back in his hands, "It sounds like Steve just needs space to work out his feelings about what happened. Kinda like you. What was the first thing you did when you woke up yesterday morning?"

"Asked where Steve was."

"Okay, what did you do after you found out that Steve had left?"

"I came down here."

"And locked yourself away for a day so that you could think about things. In that aspect you and Cap aren't too different. When you are both confused you need to go somewhere, you need to get some space, so that you can think clearly. Give him time Tony. He'll come back. Just like you always come up when you're hungry enough and we've given up bringing food down to you," Nat said patting Tony on the arm before getting up and leaving.

Tony isn't very good at giving people time.

* * *

Steve walked around the streets of Brooklyn, sighing when he saw something that had changed, and smiling when he saw something that was still the same.

"_I got beat up in that alley."_

He had told Peggy that. Steve remembered his car ride with Peggy, he remembered everything about Peggy. He might have grown to love Peggy eventually, if he hadn't gotten stuck in that ice. If he hadn't gotten stuck in that ice... there are so many things that would be different today if only he hadn't gotten stuck in that ice.

He might have gotten married to Peggy.

He would have eliminated a lot of world conflict.

He would have made sure that Howard Stark was a great father.

He would have practically been Tony's uncle.

Then he wouldn't be in this dilemma.

Then he wouldn't be so confused.

Because if Tony had grown up with Steve as his uncle, then he wouldn't have kissed him.

If only he hadn't gotten stuck in that ice...

Then he wouldn't have had the amazing sensation that he got when Tony kissed him.

He wouldn't have felt the electricity pass between the two of them.

He wouldn't have started to _like_ Tony.

Steve sighed. Took a deep breath of Brooklyn air. Turned around. Got on the motorbike. And headed back to Manhattan

* * *

"Tony." Tony closed his eyes at the sound of the man's voice.

"Where've you been _Captain_?" Tony asked evenly. He heard Steve sigh and imagined the other man scratching the back of his head.

"Brooklyn," Steve said, voice sounding heavy, tired, "I just got back," he sighed, "Nat says you haven't left the lab in over 24 hours. I said I'd come down and talk you into having dinner."

"Yes, because you are so conserned about me aren't you Rodgers?" Tony bit out, "You didn't expect me to remember anything but you left anyway. Besides I don't want to with them."

"You didn't hear me correctly. I never said you would eat with _them_." Steve said, ignoring the rest of what Tony said. Tony finally turned around. Steve smiled at him, "Figure it out yet genius?"

"You want to take me to dinner?" Tony asked. Steve smiled at the incredulous look on his face, "Like just you and me?"

"Yeah."

"No."

"What?" Steve's face went blank with confusion.

"I said no. I don't want to have dinner with you." What Tony wanted was for Steve to do the puppy dog eyes on him. To beg him to have dinner with him. Then he would "give in" and he would go to dinner. After that he would bring Steve back to the tower, back to his room, and show him that he would still kiss him even if he wasn't drunk. He wanted to have control.

Tony watched as Steve's face fell. Steve shuffled his feet and nodded, tongue in his cheek. Then Tony watched in surprise as anger filled his Captain's face.

"Fine," Steve bit out, "Fine. I'll leave you alone since that's what you want." Steve spun on his heel and headed towards the door. Tony called out to him, but he just waved him off and left.

Tony threw his head back and let out a frustrated scream before plopping to the ground and putting his head in his hands.

"I'll never get it right with him."

* * *

"Okay what'd he do this time Steve? Nat's talking to him right now," Clint asked.

"Do you want to go get a pizza? Or hamburger? Or beer? _Nothing_ here seems appealing," Steve said, not looking at Clint from behind the fridge door.

"I thought you didn't drink beer."

"I can't get drunk, I drink beer, I just can't get drunk," Steve corrected him. Still not moving from behind the fridge door.

"Ah, sure. What's with you and Tony?" Clint tried again.

"Where do you want to go?" Steve asked, avoiding the topic of Tony.

"There's a great pub like ten blocks away. We could go there. So what's with all the soap drama?"

"Do they serve good food?"

"Steve."

"Yeah?" Steve said, finally closing the fridge door.

"What's going on with you and Tony?" Steve sighed.

"I don't know," Steve answered truthfully.

"Bullshit."

"It's true! I have honestly no idea what happened. One minute we're going on like we always do, then I drag him home drunk. Then something happens in his room..."

"Did you two bang each other?" Clint asked as if it were the most normal thing.

"What?! No! Although I'm not sure that he would have minded. No. But he kissed me and I... God help me, I kissed him back."

"Was it steamy?"

"Just how gay are you?" Steve asked playfully.

"It depends on the day. Right now I just want to know all the juicy details. Stark started to give Nat a paragraph on your chest before she set him back on track."

"Anyway..." Steve said, "I had to get outta here to think about it."

"For over a day?"

"Shut up. I'm talking. Anyway, I guess Tony got mad at me. So I went down to talk to him and on impulse asked him if he wanted to go get dinner. He said no. At first I was kinda sad but then for no reason I got really mad. So I left. What else do you need to know?"

"What was it like taking off Tony Stark's clothes?" Clint asked, a playful gleam in his eyes. Steve punched him lightly on the arm.

"Lets go get some beer."


	2. Chapter 2

Cap frowned to himself. This was the fifth time that Clint and Nat had tried to get him and Tony alone. Well he wasn't having any of that. It's bad enough with the press, but his own _team? _Everybody seemed involved, but Clint and Nat the most.

The first time was just a simple, "Tony wants to talk to you Cap." But when Steve went to go see Tony, the man denied asking for him.

The second time was Nat called for a team meeting. But when Steve showed up, the only one there was Tony. So they went out for beers after an hour and a half of waiting.

The third time, Bruce invited Steve to eat dinner with him and Tony. Steve figured since Bruce would be there that there would be no issues. But Bruce left in the middle of the meal, saying that he just remembered something he needed to work on with Clint.

The fourth time, last time, had been the worst up to that point. Clint asked Steve if he wanted to meet him and Thor for lunch. Steve, being the kind, good natured, naive man that he is, said yes. But when he got to the table they said to meet him at, the only person there was Tony. Tony said that Bruce and Nat asked him to meet them there for lunch. So the two of them had lunch, and avoided the topic of their coworkers ploy.

But this time he wasn't going to just ignore it. They locked him and Tony in the training simulator room, with the simulation set to a romantic looking bedroom. They also changed all of Tony's security codes on the doors, so Tony couldn't hack it. At least not right off the bat. Not to mention that it seemed like _someone_ asked JARVIS not to help any.

"I can't believe it! This has to be partially Pepper's doing. Natasha's good, but JARVIS doesn't listen to her like he does to Pepper." Tony was pacing in front of where the door should be, but where only a dresser stood. Steve was pointedly _not_ sitting on the bed. In fact he choose to sit on the floor rather then the bed.

"Tony, you're going to pace a hole in the carpet," Steve said, his head leaned against the bedpost, his eyes were closed.

"They are all in so much trouble! How could we keep falling for it!?" Tony asked furiously.

"It appears the press are the only ones who think that we should get it on," Steve said tiredly. Tony stopped pacing and turned to face him.

"Cap, have you been hanging out with Clint? Since when do _you_ say 'get it on'?" He asked. Steve opened one eye and turned his head to look at him. Tony swallowed, he looked so jaded, like he needed someone to show him something new and amazing.

"Am I not allowed to say 'get it on'? I'm just modernizing my vocabulary."

"But you still say undershorts," Tony said before thinking. Then he mentally slapped himself. Steve opened both eyes wide and jumped up.

"You, you remember that?" He asked.

"That and everything afterwards," Tony answered truthfully.

"So you remember the, uh..."

"The kiss? Yeah."

"Oh," Steve breathed.

"I told you the other day. That I remembered," Seeing the confusion on Steve's face, Tony decided to elaborate, "When you asked me to dinner, I told you that I remembered, then you stomped out," Tony said stepping closer to Steve he lowered his voice, "Why did you stomp out?"

"Because you said no."

"I wanted you to beg me to go. I like to see you plead. To see you give full control to someone else. It's..." He paused, did he really want to say this here? Well what better place? "It's arousing." Steve's eyes went wide. He seemed surprised, but not scared, or startled. Slowly Steve's eyes went back to their normal size, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Really?" he asked quietly, stepping even closer, to where there was about an inch and a half between them. Tony gulped.

"Were you really that mad at my refusal?"

"No, I knew the game you were playing, I just didn't know why."

"Oh Captain, you're just so smart."

"I'm not the geni-" Steve started saying, before Tony's lips smashed into his. He immediately sighed into the kiss, leaning down and pulling Tony to him. Tony moved his hands up Steve's abdomen, and around his neck. Then, with some pulling and turning, he had Steve up against the bedpost.

"You said that I wouldn't do this when I wasn't drunk," Tony mumbled into Steve's mouth, "Would you like me to stop?"

"I want you to have control," Steve mumbled back. Tony grinned at the words, he reached up and pulled Steve's head back, making him bend down.

"That makes me _so_ hot for you right now."

"Good," Steve said. But his voice didn't sound quite so convincing.

"Are you uncomfortable _my_ Captain?" Tony purred.

"I've never done anything like this before."

"Ah yes, you're a virgin, I forgot."

"It's not being a virgin that I am worried about. But I've never done anything like this, with a guy," Steve explained, fighting to keep concentration while Tony's mouth played mean tricks on his neck and chin. His eyes fluttered closed as he felt Tony suck lightly on his Adam's apple.

"Well... if you want... we can take it slow," Tony mumbled against Steve's neck. Steve grabbed Tony's hands and held them to his chest. Tony pulled away from Steve's neck to look at him, waiting for the answer.

Steve leaned forward and pressed his lips to Tony's, "Not slow," he said pulling away, "Slower." Tony turned and looked at where the door should be.

"Think that that's enough to get them to let us out?" He asked.

"Why? Do you want to stop?" Steve asked, a wry grin on his face.

"No, I just... I thought you wanted to..." Tony trailed off, scratching the back of his neck. Steve grabbed him around and flipped their positions so that Tony was the one against the bedpost.

"I didn't say I wanted to stop," he said, his voice was low and seductive. Tony's body reacted to the tone, but he kept control of himself.

"You said slow," Tony said distractedly (considering that Steve's innocent-turned-most-seductive-things-on-earth, blue eyes were staring seductively into his, it's not surprising how distracted Tony was).

"No. If you had paid more attention you would have caught that I said, _slower_. As in, not having sex yet, but still being able to do other things," Steve explained. Somehow being able to not get irritated with having to explain it (something Tony was never good at).

"Oh," Tony breathed. Steve decided that that meant Tony understood. He leaned in, touching his lips lightly to Tony's in a chaste kiss.

The door opened, "Okay lover birds. As much as Clint wants to watch you to bang each other, I don't. I'm still straight, and if I want to watch gay guys bang each other I could just go to Clint's room," Natasha said putting her hands on her hips. Steve gave Tony one last kiss before walking over to her.

"Thanks Nat," he said to her before throwing a grin back to Tony.

"Wait, what?!" Tony asked.

* * *

_**Oh my God! It has been FOREVER since I last updated anything. I have 4H shit going on so I am like uber busy. But I had some down time to day and promised myself that I WOULD update. So here you all are! Hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are love, so do so please.**_


	3. Chapter 3

Steve sighed as he stared out the window in his room. Tony had just left here after complaining that something was wrong with him. Steve stood up.

"If I'm not going to sleep I might as well work out," He mumbled to himself as he walked out his door. He decided to take the stairs down to the training room. With every step he took he thought of Tony's words to him.

_"What's wrong with you Steve? We've been together for a month now, and suddenly you just decide that, what, I'm too boring for you or something? I gave up everything for you! But you haven't noticed me all day," Tony had said pacing Steve's room. Steve placed his head in his hands and rubbed his temples. Tony was pulling on tugging on his own hair now, "Steve... is there..." Tony looked away, tears were in his eyes, "is there someone else?"_

_"No," was all Steve said in response. He was still busy massaging his temples. They hurt a lot actually, he had a splitting headache. He let out a groan when he attempted to look up at Tony, the light seemed to sear him._

_"Are you okay?" Tony asked grabbing Steve's hands and pulling them to his chest. Steve gave a gasp at the sudden pleasure of the shock, but pleasure was soon overturned by a huge stab of pain from his headache._

_"I just have a headache, that's all. I got hit on the head this morning during my mission against Attuma. I've had a small headache since then but now... ungh," Steve flipped over onto his bed hiding himself from the light. _

_"Steve, let me see."_

_"No!" Steve growled, "Just go away Tony, let me be alone!" Steve swiped back and caught Tony's chest pushing him away._

_"Okay... but Steve I just want you to know," Tony walked back over to the curled up Captain and kissed his temple. Immediately the headache flared and Steve moved away from Tony. When Tony finally spoke again there was sadness and frustration in his voice, "I want you to know that I love you. I'm here for you Cap."_

_"Yeah, thanks. Go away." Steve snapped. Tony sighed and left. As soon as Tony left the room the headache lessened. After a few moments it was just a memory with guilt. He shouldn't have snapped at Tony._

"He said he loved me," Steve whispered to himself as he reached the Training Floor.

Upon entering, the training room was empty. So Steve just started working out. He was 3/4 of the way through is second to last exercise when the door opened and the headache returned. As he focused on finishing his exercise the headache grew worse. Finally he finished and dropped his head into his hands. He looked over and saw Natasha looking concerningly at him. She took a step towards him and his head flashed with pain. He grimaced and backed away from her.

"Tony says you are acting weirdly and that I need to figure out why because you refuse to tell him," She said. Every noise coming out of her mouth was pain to him, he continued backing away. She took another step towards him.

"DON'T!" he shouted at her, "Stop please. I have a horrible headache."

"When did this headache start?" Steve looked up and regretted it. Bruce was standing in the doorway. Looking up at Bruce made his head swim. This sense of Vertigo wasn't new to him, he got it a lot when he was a sickly kid, but the extreme pain that came with it made him crumple to the ground. Immediately Natasha and then Bruce were at his side. The moment they touched him he let out a scream, and a bout of curse words they didn't know he had in him.

"This morning. It's been getting worse." He finally got out when they removed their hands, "Please, leave, I'll get back to my room and take some medicine. More noise just makes it worse."

"Steve, you just collapsed. I can't just-"

"GO! Leave. Me. Alone. You're making it worse!" Steve yelled, swiping at them. They scrambled away and out the door. Immediately the pain receded. Steve stayed knelt on the ground, panting his relief, "They make it worse... shit."

* * *

"I've never seen him act like that," Natasha told Tony, "He completely lost it."

"He blamed it on his 'headache' but he reacted to physical contact too," Bruce added. Nat nodded her agreement.

"I took a step towards him and he would back away like he was afraid of getting to close to me. Or maybe he was afraid of me getting to close. But he was obviously in more pain the closer I got. Then when Bruce got there he looked at him and crumpled to the ground. But when Bruce and I tried to help him he screamed in pain and cursed like a sailor. He was obviously in more pain the closer we were to him," she said, a concerned look crossed her face.

"He's never acted like this before..." Tony mused, "Has he ever complained about headaches before?"

"Only you being one," Clint commented as he entered from across the room, "Now who are we talking about?"

"Steve," Bruce answered as Clint walked up and gave him a kiss.

"Oh yeah, okay," Clint said nodding, "Hey I actually just saw him. He was acting really weird. He saw me and got this pained expression on his face before running away towards his room."

"Did you notice anything else about him that was weird?"

"Yeah, he was crying. Or maybe he was sweating on his cheeks. In any case, his face was really wet. I think it was sweat. But he doesn't sweat that much does he?"

"No, not really." Tony answered immediately. He received a suggestive look from Clint and sent back his best bitch face, "Anything else?"

"Oh yeah, and his eyes were really wide and were really bright blue," Clint added. Tony stroked his chin thoughtfully. Concern for his lover was making it hard to think about this scientifically.

"What has Steve been doing all day?" Bruce asked, retrieving a small notebook from his breast pocket. He clicked his pen and waited to jot down notes.

"Well, this morning he went on a run," Natasha said, "Then he had his usual big breakfast and coffee."

"After which he came to my room to give me some sort of file to read. It ended up on my desk somewhere, I think," said Clint.

"What was the file about? Do you remember?" Bruce asked, scribbling furiously.

"Um, it was something like magical weapons or something like that. He said it would be good for me to read so that I'd be prepared for a battle with, like, and gods or something. I asked him if I had done something to piss of Thor."

"Oh yeah," commented Natasha, "I remember him walking around with that file. I had asked him whether he was starting a collection of information on mythology. He just laughed and said that he likes to be prepared."

"He has collected quite a few of them. It's like his hobby or something," Clint commented.

"I wonder if he knows what is happening," Tony finally said, "I mean, what if Attuma had some sort weapon that did this to him?" Bruce nodded thoughtfully.

"What if it wasn't a weapon?" Natasha asked. Everyone turned to her, "I mean we could always talk to Thor and ask about such a weapon. But it seems to me that's more likely to be a spell or even a creature. In which case it might be harder to break."

"We'll work on that," said Bruce, "In the meant time, Cap isn't to leave the tower. We don't know what he might do."

"Agreed," said Clint. Tony nodded and dropped his head into his hands. This might take a while.


End file.
